The Dignity of Human Life

First in a series of entries on the principles of social work.
by Sean DeWitt

As St. Francis so beautifully showed us in his life, God has left his finger print all over the earth, His creation. In no part of God’s creation is that finger print more distinct than in the human person, who was made in the image and likeness of God. This knowledge of the human person from Genesis forms the basis for the Church’s understanding of Human Dignity, which in tern is the foundation for the social teaching of the Church. The U.S. Catholic Bishops say that:

“The human person is central, the clearest reflection of God among us. Each person possesses a basic dignity that comes from God, not from any human quality or accomplishment”(U.S. Catholic Bishops, A Century of Social Teaching, 4).

Poverty is one of the greatest threats to Human Dignity, denying the opportunity to fulfill all aspects of life. As Americans, Christians, Catholics, and Social Workers, we all believe that on a base level every human has the right to what has come to be called Maslow’s ‘Hierarchy of Needs’. Poverty threatens all levels of the hierarchy from the most basic needs—food, shelter, and water—to the highest needs—morality and spirituality. The impoverished fight hunger, extreme living conditions, and cleanliness, lacking the time needed to develop a sense of security, build a community, attain a level of self-confidence, and come closer to God.

As of the 2007 Census, Texas was one of the worst states in terms of poverty, holding a 16.3 percent poverty rate—three percentage points above the national average. The staggering number of individuals, who live below the poverty line in Texas, could be attributed to the large immigrant population. However, such sentiments only work to discriminate and take away the dignity of those people.

Everyone has the right to their dignity regardless of race, gender, age, economic status, or cultural background. As Pope John Paul II said, “The dignity of the human person is a transcendent value, always recognized as such by those who sincerely search for the truth” (Pope John Paul II, 1999 World Day for Peace Message, no. 2). Human Dignity is not confined to a place, an achievement, a skin color, or a culture. In fact, Human Dignity is not even confined to space or time. Human Dignity is ‘transcendent’ and is kept in common with the whole human race, both past and present.

Here at Catholic Charities, we try in earnest to honor the dignity of each person we serve. We do this in many ways the most visible being our Angel’s of Hope Food Pantry. Unlike most food pantries, we allow our clients to choose their own food from a selection. Though our selection differs from week to week and it is limited in its variety, we believe that the opportunity for the clients to practice their freedom of choice gives them a greater sense of dignity and worth.

Another aspect of the food pantry experience is the amount of client to volunteer interaction. The most beautiful part of this process is that both volunteers and clients have the opportunity to see Christ in each other—to see more clearly that finger print left by Christ, during creation. Anytime someone serves, they are both giving and receiving the light of Christ. Sometimes this vision can be lost, during long hours preparing meals or sorting hoards of paper work. But during the interview process, clients and volunteers get the opportunity to stare into the face of Christ. The volunteer sees Christ in the hot, hungry, tired, and worn out client, and the client sees Christ helping hand that is being extended to them.